


Where Did That Come From? Let's Find Out

by Vartheta999



Series: Strays [1]
Category: Transformers: Prime, Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)
Genre: Headcanon, Multi, My Canon, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Canon, Transformer Sparklings, other characters to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-05-05 01:39:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14606361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vartheta999/pseuds/Vartheta999
Summary: Everythings gotta start somewhere.This is a compilation of prequel-ish stories from my Strays AU.Note: These stories aren't exactly in a specific order





	1. Hush Little Sparkling

**Author's Note:**

> This story was moved from my story dump

“Hush Little Sparkling, don't say a word….” A short, armored navy blue mech with a small mustache sang softly as he cradled the small electric blue and white sparkling in his arms. “Sire's going to get you a turbofox. And if that turbofox runs away….”

The sparkling yawned as it's optics struggled to stay open, snuggling into his sire for warmth.

“You'll still be the sweetest little sparkling in the world….that's right, shh shhh shhhh….”

He chirped happily before yawning again, his optics officially closing, and shortly, he was fast asleep.

The mech continued to cradle him and smiled, “Goodnight, Nex.”

“You still at it with that thing, Circuit Splitter?”

Circuit Splitter frowned, looking up from Nex to see another mech, who was green with blue highlights, scowling at him, “This “thing” is a sparkling and he has a name. You gave it to him, you should remember it. His name is Nex. Don't you have decepticons to fight?”

“Oh, right….For a moment, I thought it was “Heathen”.” He snickered. “And I just came back. I expected to get a little bit of attention, but your wasting time with—”

“Why do you even bother being around?” Circuit scowled, talking very quietly to not wake up Nex. “All you've done is complain ever since he was sparked. You've never tried to bond with him—”

“You haven't given me the chance.”

“I have, Axelrod, and you either ignore him or “accidentally” harm him. The last time I left you two alone you “confused” high grade for low grade, for Primus sake!” He said angrily. “It's like you're trying to kill him!”

“He's bound to get killed anyway, what with this war and all,” Axelrod replied bluntly. “I would've done it a favor—”

“Again, his name is Nex, you….” Circuit sighed. “....Why can't you just love him? Do it for our sake.”

“Our sake?”

“Yes, our sake. Because I-I….”

“You what?”

“I-I….”

“Spit it out!”

“I don't love you anymore, Axelrod!” He shouted, turning away. “Your behavior towards Nex….the way you treat him like he's an abomination….that's driven me away. If you actually start treating him better, if you actually make an effort to love him, you'll see what an amazing little sparkling he is. And, maybe, I'll start to love you again.”

For a moment, there was silence. Circuit heard Axelrod muttering angrily under his breath.

“You know, I have something to say to you, too,” He spoke up, walking towards him till Circuit could practically feel his EM field mixing with his own. He could feel the overwhelming anger and conflict brewing in the other mech. “I'm sorry. For everything. I'm so sorry.”

“Okay….” He replied nervously as he grew more and more afraid, clutching Nex to his chest. Something wasn't right. He couldn't run away either, he had him in a corner. “Is that all—”

Circuit resisted the urge to howl in pain as he felt the something repeatedly stab him from behind. He could feel the energon leaking out of him, making a small puddle just below him.

“I'm sorry for this….I'm so sorry,” Axelrod sobbed, pushing the blade in further. “But it has to be done.”

He twisted the blade, all the while making it sink deeper and deeper, until it was at the hilt.

“Nex was supposed to be our ticket out, but he proved useless. I tried to get rid of him, but you were always there so I couldn't. I tried to coax you into leaving the war behind, but you refused. You wouldn't let me try to save you from here,” He pulled the blade out. “So I have to do this.”

He watched as Circuit sunk to his knees and fell to the ground, convulsing as the air was filled with his plethora of guttural chokes and the gasps for air while the energon flowed freely from the gaping wound in his back.

“I love you, Circuit Splitter of Nova Cronum, may you rest in peace,” Axelrod said solemnly as an explosion could be heard not far away. “And that's my cue to leave.”

He was about to walk away, but then he suddenly heard a small whimper and then a cry. He looked back to see Nex had woken up and was crying, lubricant streaming down from his optics. He was looking up at him in fear, little arms reaching towards him for some sort of comfort.

How pathetic. He scowled, turning back around, running away. He ignored the cries from the sparkling and the chaotic scene around him of bots he had called his “friends” getting ripped pieces, their heads being blown off while others were riddled with blaster fire.

But that didn't matter. By the time he finally looked back, he could tell without being there that Battalion 69 was finished. He was free, he was finally free. Sure, he had to have everyone slaughtered and had to personally kill someone he was actually fond of, but who cares? They were all dead, every single one of them.

<><><><><>

“Shh...Shh….” Circuit Splitter said weakly, trying to calm Nex. “Sire is here….”

Nex continued to quietly sob and whimper.

“You want me….to sing you a little song?” Circuit asked. A sad, little chirp was his reply. “You do?....I'm going to….sing you a song….my carrier sung to me right before….she went….offline….I know you'll….like it….” He coughed and cleared his vocalizer. “....Hello, old friend it's good to be with you….Time is standing still. Our love shines true and bright.”

Nex's sobs subsided and turned to small sniffles.

“It always will….My empty spark you fill….We still feel….forever young….

A small smile began to grow on his face as he tried to sing along even though he could only managed to make small chirps and clicks.

Circuit smiled and stroked the side of his face and Nex grabbed his finger with his much smaller hands. “Looking back, we're just the same….As we were when….we began….This love….will keep protecting us….Reach for me, and I'll take your hand….”

Nex yawned and nuzzled his sire as he began to fall asleep.

“....When we're apart, just close your optics….and you'll see me….waiting there….You can always count on me, I'll always be there....” Circuit felt his spark wrench as he pulled Nex closer to him and he began to cry himself. He could feel his spark withering away, he wasn't gonna be here when Nex woke up. Who knows if anyone was able to call for help. He could only hope someone would find them and save Nex. “My little star….you'll never fade away….the hands of time….are still….and we'll….be….forever….young….”

His optics began to flicker and he began to feel what he could only describe as being comfortably numb. He felt a strange feeling of….euphoria wash over him, even though he was sad. His time has come.

He gazed at Nex in great pain and he gave him a small kiss on his helm. “I love….I love you, Nex. I love you so….much….remember....please...ne….ver...for...get….m….e....”

 

Nex yawned as he opened his optics. It was so dark, the only light was the little bit that his optics provided.

Was it day or night? Was he dreaming? Maybe his sire would know. He looked and saw he was still recharging. Weird, he was almost always awake before him.

He chirped happily and waited for him to wake up.

Nothing.

Maybe he couldn't hear him. He chirped a little louder.

Nothing.

He chirped again.

Nothing.

He chirped yet again and this time he tapped on his face.

Nothing.

What was wrong? His sire would always wake up after he did that.

Wait, he felt cold. He shouldn't feel cold, his sire was always warm. Why was did he feel cold? Cold wasn't good. Cold always meant….they weren't alive.

Nex felt his little spark sink.

Why? Why did sire die? Why did this happen? Why did carrier leave them behind? Why didn't carrier love him? Was he going to die?

He started to whimper, then he began to sob, and finally, he cried.

<><><><><>

“I'm gonna be sick….” groaned a small, young yellow mech as he gaped at the horrific scene of what once was the base camp.

There were arms, legs, and even heads scattered everywhere. Those who weren't dismembered were either impaled on metal spikes or just left on the ground.

“Onyx, I think I'm gonna….I'm gonna be sick,” He repeated and fought back the urge to purge the contents of his fuel tank. “Scratch that, I am sick.”

“I won't judge, Bumblebee, I'm sick, too.” replied a large, older black and green mech, Onyx, in disgust as he stepped over another corpse. “Nightshade, you found anything besides—”

“Shh!” a black and purple femme, Nightshade, hissed. “Do you hear that?” She asked quietly.

Bumblebee looked around, confused. “Hear what—”

His companions hissed at him to be quiet. He frowned, wondering if they were going crazy before heard something, too. It was a small, muffled cry.

The trio began to walk towards it, stopping every few seconds to make sure they were on the right track, before they stopped in front of a small pile of wreckage.

“Okay guys, let's get to work!” Nightshade said as she began to dig through it, joined a moment later by Bumblebee and Onyx. The louder the cry became, the faster they dug. Then, they saw the source and the overwhelming feeling of remorse came over the, so overwhelming in fact, they almost cried.

The saw a little sparkling, in the arms of a dead mech while tears streamed down his face while he made small, sad chirps.

“Shh….It's okay….shh shh shh,” Nightshade cooed softly as she picked him up, rocking him back and forth in her arms. “Don't cry anymore….shh….”

“He isn't like the others,” Onyx commented on the dead mech as he and Bumblebee picked him up. “The attack against him was personal.”

“How do you know?” He asked.

“Well, Bee, he was stabbed repeatedly, which indicates a lot of anger, they wanted him to suffer.” Onyx pointed to a stab wound that was significantly larger than the rest. “And right here is what really killed him. It looks like whoever did this twisted the blade….They left him to bleed out. The sparkling was probably with him and they expected him to die, too.”

“Poor little guy….” Bee frowned. “Whoever did this is going to the Pit!”

They heard Nightshade giggle and looked and saw that the little guy was trying to suckle her outstretched finger.

“Nonono….this isn't fuel….” She smiled at how he kept grabbing onto her finger for sustenance. “You're hungry, aren't you?”

He let out a frustrated chirp and made another attempt to pull it towards him. Why wouldn't the nice femme feed him?

“Guys, I'm going back to base.” She said, looking at both mechs. “I'm going to get this little guy some sustenance and a check up. I'll come right back afterwards—”

“Nighty, it's okay,” Onyx reassured her. “We'll meet you there soon enough.”

“Okay, but if there's any trouble whatsoever you better call!” She said sternly. “I mean it, last thing I want is my partner and my junior partner getting scrapped.”

Onyx rolled his optics. “Will you get going, we'll be fine. And make sure no one spots you!”

<><><><><>

Nightshade scurried down the bridge, wary of being spotted by the enemy and the sound of blaster fire in the distance. She skidded to a halt and peered over the side of the bridge to the darkness underfoot. She looked at the sparkling in her arms. He looked back at her with wide optic innocence and he smiled at her. She smiled back.

“Listen, little one, I'm going to need you to hold on tight,” She said. “I need to jump to get us down there. Don't worry, it's not a long way down. But, I still need you to be brave. Okay?”

He chittered and clicked in reply.

“I hope that means yes. One. Two,” She squeezed him to her chest and prayed he wouldn't fall out. “Three!” She jumped and was surprised when instead of screaming he had begun to laugh as the plummeted down into the dark abyss.

As soon as they landed, he whined. Did it have to be over so fast?

“Don't give me that, we'll have fun later,” She scolded him playfully and ran up to a seemingly ordinary sheet of metal propped on the wall. She adjusted his weight into one arm as she used the other to feel the wall next to it until she came upon a small keypad. She typed something in and waited. A moment later, the “sheet of metal” moved aside, revealing a small tunnel.

They went in, tunnel opening closing behind them as they tread down. They came upon a door, and she again typed into a keypad and it opened.

“This is my home,” She said to him as they walked in. “I'll show you around later.”

He looked around, taking note of all the mechs and femmes. Some were by computers, others were sparring, some were playing a game, and the rest were just talking. It was almost like his old home.

“Hey, Ratchet?” She rapped her knuckles the doorless doorway when she reached the dubbed “Medic Corner”. “Can I come in?”

“I'm not busy, not much anyways, come in.” He replied, looking up from his datapad. “You know, today has been been the most relaxing and stress free day for me in years. No one in our squadron has gotten hurt today….yet.”

“Oh, yes, I noticed the rest of the medics playing lob ball on my way here.” She noted. “Listen, Ratchet, I need a little bit of help.”

“What is it?”

“Well, you know Bee, Onyx, and I went to see 69? Well, no survivors. Except—” She carefully sat the sparkling down on a medical berth. “—for him.”

“Oh my….” Ratchet set the datapad down. “Where did you find him?”

“Buried under some debris,” She answered, letting the little one latch onto her hand. “He was in the arms of whom we believe was his creator, a mech. The creator is, unfortunately, offline. I would like it if you gave him a small examination to make sure everything's on the up and up and some low grade. He's pretty hungry….please.”

“I was about to anyway,” Ratchet shrugged and quickly scanned him. “Nothing appears to be wrong besides his lack of fuel. Hold on a second.” He left, disappearing into a backroom and returned with some low grade in a feeding bottle.

He looked at Nightshade in a silent query of permission and when she have him a nod, he picked up the little one. “Okay little fella, here you go—”

He chirped angrily and pushed it away. Ratchet tried to feed him again, but he just pushed it away. He tried several more times, he even gave the bottle to him—this proved to be a bad idea because he was about to throw it—but he kept chirping angrily and refused to even drink a single drop.

“Why won't he take it?” Ratchet asked, trying and failing yet again. “He's obviously hungry.”

“Can I try?” asked Nightshade, who had been watching with slight amusement.

Ratchet nodded and gave him to her along with the bottle. “Give it your best shot.”

“Okay, little one….come one.” She coaxed softly. “You need to—”

To both their surprise, he eagerly pulled the bottle towards him and began happily suckling. In a few seconds, he had downed the entire bottle and he pushed the bottle away, snuggling into Nightshade.

“Refuel….huh,” She murmured puzzled, and put the bottle down and began to bounce him in her arms until he let out a small burp. “Why wasn't he like that with you?”

“He does seem rather attached to you,” Ratchet replied, picking up the datapad and continuing to read.

“Well, I was the first to pick him up. That probably had something to do with it,” She mused and looked at the little one in her arms. He needs a name, She immediately thought. “You know what, I think I'm going to call him Nitrobolt.”

“Nitrobolt? Why?” Ratchet asked, slightly amused. “I don't see any ice blasters on him.” He joked.

“He looks like a Nitrobolt. You hear that?” She smiled at Nitrobolt. “Your name is Nitrobolt, wittle guy!”

Nitrobolt blinked. He liked that name. He liked this femme. He liked this place.

Maybe this could be his new home. Maybe they could be his new family.

He let out a long and joyful chirrup.

<><><><><>

Nitrobolt laughed when Onyx threw him up in the air and caught him.

“Up you go again, Nitro—”

“Onyx, be careful!” Nightshade caught him before Onyx could. “He's just got fed. You don't want him to purge, do you?”

“Come on, Nighty, he was enjoying himself! And look, you made him upset.”

Nitrobolt emphasized his statement by looking up at the femme with a small pout. “Nyo!!” He whined (A short while before he had started trying to speak in words and he wanted to use every opportunity to say them. He wasn't very good, but he managed to get his point across).

“Aw, I'm sorry, Nitro. I just don't want my cute wittle mech to get sick,” She cooed, poking him in the stomach and making him giggle.

“Estah!” He batted her hand away.

“What about me?” Onyx asked. “I thought I was the cute one in your life.”

“You've been replaced by Nitrobolt. Now that he's cutest ever you're in second place,” She teased, sticking her glossa at him.

Nitro giggled and stuck his own glossa out at Onyx in addition to blowing a small raspberry.

“Nightshade, you've turned Nitro against me. I feel betrayed,” He feigned sobs and clutched his spark, collapsing backwards. “I never thought, in the centuries we've been together, you'd do this. Oh, I feel faint….bleh.” He went limp.

Nitrobolt let out a huge gasp, trying to slip out of Night's arms. “Nyo! Sri!”

What happened? Was he dead? He needed to know!

“Whoa, be careful!” She gasped when he almost fell out of her arms. “It's okay, Nitro, he's okay.” She crouched, putting him on top of Onyx's chest and Nitrobolt crawled until he was at his face.

He looked up at Nightshade and cocked his helm to the side. “Cyan?”

“Go ahead, Nitro.”

He raised a hand and brought it down on Onyx's face.

Smack!

“Ow!” He yipped and opened his opened his optics. “What was that for?”

Nitrobolt cheered and hugged him. “Sri!”

Onyx smiled, knowing he couldn't stay mad at him for long. He sat up, gently patting him on top of his helm. “I forgive you—Ow!”

Night punched his arm. “Don't scare him like that again, Onyx.”

“I know, I know, I won't….He's happy now, though,” He paused when Nitro began climbing him. He grinned. “Look at him go.”

She smiled. “Yeah, look at him go….this is nice. Looking after him.”

“Yup,” He agreed.

It had been a while since Nitrobolt was found. Like with Nightshade he immediately became attached to Onyx and when the two weren't in battle or on a mission, he was always with them. And on the occasions where they were out, Ratchet would watch him if he wasn't busy or out himself.

“Hey guys, you busy?” Bumblebee asked as he poked his head in through “door”.

“No, come in.”

“Thanks. Hi, Nitrobolt!” He waved at him.

Nitro smiled and waved back from his perch on Onyx's shoulder. “Bubebae!”

Another thing: He absolutely adored Bumblebee.

“How are ya doin'?”

“Great,” They both answered.

“Great….Listen, I gotta talk to you about somethin’ important.”

“What is it?” Night asked.

“Well, you see….Uh, we really….you really….” He sighed in frustration and took a deep vent before trying again. “We need to talk about Nitrobolt.”

“What about him?” Onyx asked, turning his attention to the young mech.

“Why haven't you guys given him to a sparkling shelter? That's what we're supposed to do when finding a stray sparkling, as per protocol. You guys could get in trouble!” Bee replied frantically. “It's been weeks since you found him and you haven't even updated the report.”

“Why should we?”

“It's the right thing to do?!”

“So?”

“And….you could get in trouble....”

“You already said that.”

“I know, it's just, why won't you?” He asked.

“He needs us.” Onyx answered. “Simple as that.”

“And we're not letting him go.” Night added. “Right, Nitro?”

Nitrobolt shot his helm up at the sound of his name and smiled at Nightshade. “Cari?”

“And....” Night's smile faded as she looked back to Bee and her tone grew serious. “We can't abandon him like his old carrier did.”

“There's no proof—"

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know everyone's assuming he may have just been taken by the decepticons but I get to differ.” Onyx frowned. “The attack against Circuit Splitter was personal, whoever did it must have known him and who else but Axelrod could've done it?”

“That still isn't a reason not to give him to a sparkling center.” Bee argued, frustrated.

“He is our son now,” Night stated firmly, “and we're not just going to give him up.”

Bee looked like he was about to respond, but instead he got up and left, leaving them to themselves. He went up to a free console and brought up the file that contained the report. “Battalion 69 was completely destroyed when we arrived….didn't recover much supplies….There are no survivors….”

Bee hesitated when he tried to touch the keyboard to change the error. He was doing the right thing, but why did it feel so wrong….

They, Onyx and Nightshade, were his best friends, they were like his family for crying out loud. They'd been there when he emerged from the Well, they took him under their wings, they showed him the ropes, they were one of the people who helped him learn how to fight. To hurt them by taking away someone that held so dearly in their sparks would be the greatest crime he could ever commit against them. But, maybe he could update the file in a different way….

 _There is a possible survivor._ He finally began to type. _Axelrod, a soldier that was in B 69, is M.I.A. It is believed that either he has been taken prisoner or deserted. He also possibly may have murdered Conjunx Endura Circuit Splitter beforehand._


	2. The Final Moments: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened the night Nitrobolt was put into stasis? The answer might surprise you. [Pre-Rid15]

_Ping_

Steeljaw let out a long groan as he struggled to open his heavy lidded optics. What was that noise?

_Ping Ping_

There it was again! It seemed to be coming from everywhere. Why here and why now? He thought with a snarl. It was the middle of the night, for Primus' sake.

_Ping Ping Ping_

He covered his audio receptors and whined. It was too late for this.

_Ping Ping Ping Ping_

Oh, for crying out loud! He was going to—Wait. His commlink….But, who would be comming him? And in a private channel, no less—

_PingPingPingPing!!_

“Alright, alright!” He growled and hastily answered. “Who is this!?”

《 _It's me, Nitrobolt, listen I_ —》

“Nitrobolt!?” He practically fell out of his berth. “Are you okay? Did something—”

《 _I'm fine! Okay? Just listen!_ 》Nitrobolt cut him off abruptly, sounding serious.《 _I know I said I never wanted to see you again, but the thing is…._ 》He vented deeply.《 _I really, really need your help. Meet me by the city limits, I'll explain everything there_ 》

  
“Finally, I was starting to think you wouldn't show up,” Nitrobolt said, sounding slightly annoyed.

“No, ‘ _Hello, Steeljaw, how have you been?_ ’.” Steeljaw frowned. “What about a handshake?”

“Hello, you son of a glitch, how have you been?” Nitrobolt spat with a low growl.

“Good as my life gets and, need I remind you, your the one who said you hated me and wanted nothing to do with me!” He frowned.

He frowned back, “Wait....I thought you told me you used me?"

"Didn't we discuss that years ago how I wanted to but never did anything?"

"You're right—You know what, we'll discuss it later, right now there is no time.”

“What is this about, anyway?” He asked. “Why ask to meet me all the way out here?”

“Because it's not safe there. Everyone's watching me, I know they are!” He answered, suddenly frantic.

Steeljaw arched an optic ridge abd asked, “Are you sure you haven't been on something since the last time we met? You should sit down—”

He rapidly shook his helm, “No, it's just, I heard and saw something I shouldn't have heard when I went to the council chambers to do a little investigating—”

“Investigating what?”

“Pay attention!” He hissed. “I was investigating to prove a suspicion of mine and I was caught. I was able to escape, and I've been laying low, but today Ineritio found me. He didn't do anything, but he requested my presence in the chambers tomorrow. Apparently, he and the council want to talk to me about giving me a position.”

“But you think it's a trick?” Steeljaw inquired.

He nodded.

“And you want my help because….?”

He sighed, “Because as much as I dislike you now, we are the best team there is. You could be with me when I go, be my backup.”

“Wouldn't Ineritio suspect something if I'm with you since you and I are no longer—”

“He doesn't know. So, are you with me or not?” Nitrobolt held out his hand. “Partners again?”

Steeljaw looked at him then to his hand, doubtful, before he took it, giving it a firm shake.

“Partners.”

_The next night…._

“Nex, so good to see you,” Ineritio smiled, which made Nitrobolt uncomfortable. This amount of kindness from him was unnatural, “and….Steeldog?”

“It's Steeljaw, your—” Steeljaw fought to hold back the bile building up. “Worship.”

“Thank you, Steeljaw, you respect me more than Nex. Right this way,” He laughed and led them into a long corridor. “Come on.”

The whole walk through was filled with silence that gave the two mechs a strange feeling of dread. They were somewhat relieved when they had made it to the entrance to the chambers. Ineritio went in, but the two both stayed back for a moment and looked at each other.

“Ready?” Nitrobolt asked.

Steeljaw nodded. “Yes, but the question is, are you?”

“No, I'm terrified,” He replied. “Something tells me I'm not going to make it out that room, Steeljaw.”

“You'll make it out, Nitrobolt, you got back up,” Steeljaw gave him a reassuring look. “You'll be fine.” 

“Yes, but I need to—”

“Are you coming in?” Ineritio frowned, poking his helm out the doors. “I didn't ask you to come for nothing.”

They both nodded and quickly made their way inside.

The room was empty.

They turned to Ineritio and he was sneering.

“Oh no….Run—AGRH!” Nitrobol screamed as he was he with a blast of energy, collapsing to the ground.

“Nitrobolt—AH!” Steeljaw howled in pain as the same thing was done to him.

 

“Nex...Nex....wake up!”

Nitrobolt groaned and slowly opened his optics. He was in a dimly lit space. His wrists felt….heavier than usual. He looked to them and saw they were in cuffs.

“Where am I?” He called out groggily. “Who are you….?”

Someone chuckled. “Glad you're here, Nex.”

“Who's there?”

His question was answered when a dark and light blue mech came into view, along with a few of his similarly colored compatriots. “You know me, I don't need to introduce myself.”

“Cyclonus!” He struggled in his bonds. “Let me go!”

“All in good time, Nex—That is your name, right?” Cyclonus asked. “Or do you prefer something else.”

“Nitrobolt, that is my name. Not Nex.”

“....Nitrobolt, you are a very skilled young mech.” Cyclonus said in a honeyed voice that sent a chill up his spinal struts. “A great warrior and a great musician.”

“Well, my sire and carrier always said I was a little songbird.”

“It's through this music you make—your singing in general—that comes your greatest ability.” Cyclonus smiled. “The ability to manipulate thoughts, the ability to draw hapless mechs and femmes to you with a simple change of tone. Do you not see the potential in this?”

“Let me think….I do!”

“You do?” He asked, confused.

“To make you suffer! Ah-Wooo!” He howled, expecting everyone to fall to the ground, screaming in pain. Nothing happened. He tried again, but nothing happened.

One of the his captors—a femme he believed was named “Skyjack”—laughed at the his confused expression. “You didn't think we were smart enough not to mess with your vocalizer. We can't have you pulling your little tricks.”

“Thank you, Skyjack. Anyway, the potential I see is this. Just imagine,” He continued, crouching down next to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Cybertron, a peaceful planet, lead by none other than you—and, of course, us,” He motioned towards his companions. “Nobody's ever going to have to deal with the pain of war, no one will ever have thoughts that lead to conflict. It'll be just peace, and you know why? Because you will sing away all those bad thoughts. Now doesn't that sound nice?”

“Sounds nice to me,” A mech—Riotgear?—snickered. “If you're into that kinda scrap—”

“Riotgear!” Cyclonus snapped.

“Sorry, boss.” Riotgear muttered.

“That actually does sound nice,” Cyberwarp—That was the only name he cared to know—smiled for a moment before turning a worried gaze towards Nitrobolt. “Cyclonus, you know, it might be even nicer to hear Nitrobolt's opinion on this.”

“Good idea, Cyberwarp. Doesn't that sound nice, Nitrobolt?”

“Yes.” Nitrobolt nodded in agreement. “But it's wrong! People have the right to make their own decisions, even if they choose wrong. And I know who you really are, you don't want that.”

Cyclonus frowned. “I knew you'd say that. Ineritio!”

“Yes, sir?” Ineritio came into view, grinning devilishly.

“Bring him in,” Cyclonus ordered, and Ineritio disappeared, returning a moment later dragging Steeljaw behind him.

He dropped him to the ground and kicked him. “Wake up, mutt!” 

“Alright….Alright! This is not how I planned to start the day,” He groaned, sitting up. “Nitrobolt?” He cocked his head to the side in confusion. “Nitrobolt...what's….going on?”  
Like Nitrobolt, he was bound by his wrist, unlike Nitrobolt, he had a blaster to his head courtesy of Ineritio and it looked like he under the influence of some type of substance. His optics were hazy, his voice was wavering, and he was teetering from side like he was overcharged.

“Steeljaw!” Nitrobolt gasped.

“He'll help us make you compliant,” Ineritio smirked. “If you're not, well, there'll be pieces of his processor all over the floor.”

“It's gonna take more than that to make me compliant!” He scowled. “This is all just to keep me quiet, but I won't stay quiet! So go ahead, shoot 'em! See if I care….”

“What!?” Steeljaw exclaimed, momentarily snapping out of his drug induced haze. He struggled to break free, earning a sharp jab in the back of his helm.

“Really?” Ineritio asked perplexed. “But I thought….Okay. Do I still shoot him, Cyclonus?”

“Yes,” He answered. “He may just be bluffing.”

“Okay….One….Two….” Ineritio slowly squeezed the trigger, but not hard enough to set the blaster off. “Three….Four—”

“Don't shoot him!” Nitrobolt begged. “Nobody needs to die for this to work! I'm going to work with you, just please let him go! He has nothing to do with this.”

“What did I tell you all? Bluffing.” Cyclonus reached into his subspace, pulling out the key to Nitrobolt's cuffs. “Do you promise to behave if I take them off?”

He nodded and, at once, Cyclonus removed them. True to his word, Nitrobolt didn't do anything but stand up. For now, he could do anything else besides just go along with it, he was surrounded and his backup was currently out of commission.

Speaking of which, Steeljaw was staring straight at him, dazed for a moment before he broke out of this stupor and he smirked, winking at him.  
“Keep them distracted,” He mouthed before he returned to his act.

Nitrobolt nodded in understanding and turned to face Cyclonus. “Cyclonus, I want something in return.”

“What, Nitrobolt?” Cyclonus asked. “Your own ship, control over a certain city—”

“My family back,” He interrupted. “Onyx, Nightshade, and Blitz taken out of stasis immediately.”

“I'm afraid we can't do that. The Alchemor won't be returning for another round for a while—”

“Then I want Ineritio to confess all of his crimes,” He glared at the the mech in question with what could only be described as utter hatred while the other visibly flinched. “He 'fesses up and I'll be yours. Do we have a deal?”

Cyclonus looked from him to Ineritio and back again for a moment, trying to decide whether or not it was such a good idea.  
Then he laughed, so suddenly everyone jolted in surprise and stared at him like he had gone mad. And as suddenly as it started, it ended, and he smirked. “We have a deal. Go on, Ineritio, you heard the lad. Confess, let there be no secrets between soon to be comrades.”

“Absolutely not!” Ineritio exclaimed angrily. “I will not have this Pit spawn—”

“Come on, _Axelrod_ , I'm waiting,” He flinched again when Nitrobolt said his name, his real name, almost like a taunt, a challenge.

 _Well then_ , He smirked, _Challenge accepted._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, a cliffhanger. What will happen next? Stay tuned to find out.


	3. The Final Moments: Part 2

“I, Ineritio, will confess my crimes to you, _Nex,_ ” Ineritio held back the urge to laugh at the face Nitrobolt made. He knew how much he hated that name. “As a youth, I was always stealing things despite the fact I was quite wealthy, but besides that, there's nothing much to discuss….But the war, oh, that's when all the fun started,” He grinned. “Early on, I killed my commander so I could take her place. Her and I didn't get along well even though we had a whole troop to command together. I was second in command and I didn't agree with her tactics, and she was always scolding and belittling me. So I poisoned her energon. I was commander for a long time, a great one at that, but I was demoted to a simple foot soldier in the end for a misdemeanor with a pleasure drone who died while in my service—I really don't know how, to be honest, I had nothing to do with that—The bot who took my place was honorably discharged after a freakish accident with an artillery cannon left him mute and physically handicapped, though, you can guess that it wasn't an accident. It didn't give me my post back, but it was still fun. Next, I purposefully….”

As he continued down the line, Nitrobolt visibly got more and more disgusted and horrified by the second. He couldn't believe he came from such a monster. It took all his strength not to strangle him where he stood. Meanwhile, everyone else either was shocked or slightly unnerved.

“And here comes not my last, but what I consider my most shocking, dreadful, and horrid crime yet and this is where I'll end it. Are you sure, young and naive little Nex, you're prepared to hear it?” Ineritio sneered as the young mech hesitantly nodded. “I think you'll like this story. It's about your original sire….Circuit Splitter came into my life in the middle of the war when I was transferred to Battalion 69. He was a nurse when I met him. He was handsome, kind, smart, and I fell helm over heel struts in love. What was better was that he felt the same way, too, and, eventually, we got hitched,” He smiled. “I did everything and anything to make him happy, I killed his boss so he could become the chief medic. Anyone who dared harm him mysteriously vanished or died. But, I couldn't always protect my beloved, so I devised a plan. You were the result of that plan to get us out of the war, but it ultimately failed,” He scowled. “I opted to just give you away after that, but Circuit wouldn't allow it. Then I suggested we just ditch and bring you along, but he didn't agree to that, either. We grew further apart after that….One day, I realized there was only one way to keep him safe forever and get rid of you in the process. All it took was a small deal, but even though it saved him, I still feel great remorse. I really did love him,” He paused and sighed, and all optics stared at him in anticipation, waiting for him to continue.

“What did you do?” Nitrobolt asked, knowing he'd regret it.

“I went and saw he was spending his free time with you, as usual. He had just put you to sleep. I complained about you, but this time instead of angrily sighing, Circuit scolded me about it and he told me that he didn't….” He paused again, a flash of deep hurt appearing in his optics before he shook it away. “I killed him. Repeatedly, I stabbed him in the back. I knew it hurt him, but the quicker he bled, the faster he'd die and there wouldn't be anymore pain. He would forever be safe here in my memory banks. On cue, the Decepticons attacked, and I left.”

Nitrobolt clenched his jaw, growling and balling up his fist. He visibly shook and he jerked like he was fighting to keep something inside. And then tears began to trickles down his face as the memories long forgotten began breaking through the barrier of repression.

Images began flashing before his optics. The face of his sire; adopted creators; his beloved guardians from his years on Paix II; his creators again, this time with his little brother.

Then nothing. Gone, they were all gone. Ineritio had taken them all away from him.

“You brought this upon yourself. You wanted me to confess, so I did,” He scoffed, snapping him back to reality. “Be a bot and stop crying.”

“Ineritio, please stop upsetting him further.” Cyberwarp pleaded. Ineritio could have left out that part of his confession. She only agreed to do this because she was promised no one would get hurt, and yet, they did.

“He's our ally now, and we don't allow weaklings in this team. Isn't that right, Cyclonus?”

The some of the others nodded, a few muttering “He has a point”

“I fully agree, but Cyberwarp also has a point,” Cyclonus said. Suddenly, he stiffened. He looked over to where Steeljaw was, well, supposed to be and in his place was a pair of broken cuffs.

“Where did that wolficon go!?”

Suddenly, as if to answer the question, there was a distant howl and a laugh.

“Find him!” Cyclonus shouted as he and everyone else ran after the sound, leaving Nitrobolt to himself until someone dropped down in front of him.

“Nitrobolt, let's go!” Steeljaw grabbed him by the arm and dragged him along as he ran. It wasn't until they were far enough from where they were being held captive he took notice of Nitrobolt's uncharacteristic silence. “Nitrobolt, what's the matter?” He asked in concern, knowing what just transpired.

“Let's just get out of here….” He replied, voice devoid of any emotion besides sorrow, and he transformed and drove away.

 

After some time of keeping out of sight, they had finally found a place to hide for the night, a nice shoddy little room of a hotel in the ghettos; the owner wasn't exactly willing to let them stay without overcharging, but after negotiating with Steeljaw—as the wolficon pinned him against the wall by his neck and choked him—he was all too happy to comply.

Nitrobolt just laid down on the berth as soon as they entered, not saying a single a word as he stared blankly at the wall.

He still hadn't said anything, but by now, he was deep in recharge.

At least, Steeljaw thought so. It had been a while since Nitrobolt had shut his optics and he was softly venting, facial features relaxed and somewhat peaceful.

“Oh Nitrobolt.…” He let out a soft chuckle as he sat himself on the floor adjacent to the berth. “We're really in trouble now, aren't we?”

 _You could leave, you know._ The little voice in his head spoke up.  _This doesn't have to_ **_your_ ** _problem. Just go, it's not like he's going to notice_.

True. The Council was after him as well, no doubt, but he could get a new identity. He knew a pretty good doctor who could implant his brain module in another body and keep their mouth shut; he did always wonder what it'd be like to be a flyer. This wasn't the first time he ditched a partner as soon as things went completely to the pit….he counted 4. This would be no different.

He stood up and headed for the door.

This truly didn't have to be his problem, it wasn't even his problem to begin with. He would leave Nitrobolt and forget this whole thing, maybe laugh about it later. Yes, leave Nitrobolt to fend for himself against the Council, and let him be inevitably tortured, killed, or both….

Steeljaw stopped in his tracks and sighed.

If only it were that easy. There was no way he could just up and leave without feeling guilty.

He sighed again and went back to sit down next to Nitrobolt's sleeping form.

“Nitrobolt,” He questioned aloud, even though the other couldn't hear, “we really got ourselves into big mess this time, huh?"

“Tell me about it."

Steeljaw jolted and his audials shot up and he turned to see Nitrobolt wide awake. “Nitrobolt, how long have you been awake?”

Nitrobolt sat up and shrugged. “I see you haven't left.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because I just put a target on your back.”

“Believe me, I have quite a handful already. Another won't make a difference. Let’s just focus on what our game plan is now. Alright?”

“Alright….” He reached into his subspace, pulling out a pack of cygars. He offered one to Steeljaw before lighting one up for himself and after a few long draws, he snarled. “The game plan….I don’t know. All I do know is that I want with all my spark to take the bastard by the neck and tear his spark out while he screams for mercy! He took everyone I loved away from me! Everyone….” Lubricant had welled up in his optics and he began to let out shuddering vents. “I remember you know, not too good, but I remember. My sire Circuit Splitter's face. His optics were dim, he was dying, and his warm smile was tainted with the fresh energon trailing from his mouth. ‘ _I love you, Nex.’_ That was the last thing he said to me….Ineritio took him away. Then my guardians on Piax II, he took them away right before the war ended. Then my creators got me back and I met my baby brother, but he took them away just a few months later, too….Everyone,” He repeated as he began to shake. “Everyone. He took away my family….”

He quickly took out a flask, and was about to down all of high grade in it when Steeljaw suddenly grabbed him by the wrist and tore it out of his hands.

“Is this what you're going to do?” He frowned.

“It helps me feel better!” Nitrobolt tried to wrestle it out of his claws. “Give it back, Steeljaw! That is some premium engex—”

“No! Drowning sorrows never helped anyone—Don't you dare even try i—Ah!” He yelped in pain when the other bit into his hand— **_hard_ ** —and he dropped it.

“Told you to give it back, sweetheart—Hey!” Steeljaw smacked the flask out of his grasp, flinging it across the room. Before Nitrobolt could chase after it the wolficon grabbed him by both his shoulders and pinned him against the wall. “Let me go!” He grunted as he struggled. “I mean it! Or else I'll—”

“I see the tears in your eyes. You can act tough with everyone else, but you don't have to with me. I held you in my arms, remember, on those nights you would cry. I would never laugh, never tease or judge, never even bat a spiteful optic. But I would sing to you, I would tell you it was all going to be alright. You must know by now that it's safe here with me,” He loosened his grip on him until he let him to completely. “Don't you?”

Nitrobolt slowly nodded, right before he broke down completely, frame wracking as he let out loud sobs. And, like Steeljaw had done countless times before, he held him and let him cry as he softly sang to him.

“ _You say I'm a dreamer, we're two of a kind….both of us searching for some perfect world we know we'll never find….So perhaps I should leave here and go far away….But you know that there's no where that is rather be than with you here today! You ask if I love you….well what can I say? You know that I do, and that this is just one of those games that we play,”_ He smiled as Nitrobolt looked up at him and did the same. “ _So I'll sing you a new song, please do cry anymore….I'll even ask for your forgiveness and I know just what I'm asking it for….”_

“Steeljaw?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.”

Steeljaw released him the embrace and they sat on the berth.

After a moment of silently thinking to himself, Steeljaw cleared his vocalizer and took a deep vent.

“Nitrobolt, the Council will no doubt be after us after tonight, but I know you won't go down without a fight and neither will I. But if we go down, I want to do it with you. Together. Like it always should be. What do you say?”

The other looked on, for a moment, in silent debate and with doubt. Then, to Steeljaw's surprise, he took the others hand in his and said sternly, “Do you swear, upon the Allspark, that you'll be there with me and stay by my side even if the world falls down?”

“Yes and I promise that we will change the world and make this a peaceful place for Autobots and Decepticons,” He added. “We'll make it all better, Nitrobolt.”

He grinned. “Then I accept your proposal. From here to eternity—”

“—and back again—”

“—We will always—”

“—be partners—”

“—through life—”

“—and death—”

“—sickness—”

“—and health—”

“—and I promise—”

“—and I promise—”

“—that I will never betray you.”

“—that I will never lie.”

They smiled at each other and laughed together like they hadn't in ages.

They really were going to change the world.

And they would do it together.

* * *

_“Get them!”_

_“He ratted us out!”_

_“Nowhere left to rum!”_

_“Tie them down! We're gonna have some fun tonight.”_

_“STOP! We don't have to kill them!”_

_“I can't wipe their minds, I'm not that skilled, but I can….”_

_“I WILL COME BACK, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME, I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES AGAINST ME! YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY FAMILY! I WILL RIP OUT YOUR SPARK BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES! YOU WILL KNOW MY NAME AND REMEMBER IT! I AM NITROBOLT!!!!”_

_“Don't worry, mutt, it'll all be over soon….”_

* * *

 Steeljaw woke with a start. Where was he? He gazed around and saw he was lying in an alley.

Had he gotten in a fight? He was covered in scratches a few small dents.

Oh, his helm was pounding like a drum! It hurt so much!

He looked at his hand to see a flask.

Had he been drinking till he dropped? That was not something he usually did.

No, no he hadn't. The thing was still full. Where'd he get it?

Who knew and who cared? His fuel tanks were practically empty.

He tramped down the street, ignoring all the stares. He was used to them already, his kind were not at all common, one could say rare.

He felt sick for some reason. Overall something felt very off, like he was missing pieces of himself.

He went into an energon depot and after grabbing enough fuel to last him a week, he paid.

But before he left, he caught a glimpse of the screen behind the counter that the cashier was watching and it was displaying the news.

The poor soul seemed thoroughly shocked and he wondered why until he read the headline.

“Nitrobolt?” He gasped, gaping in horror. Then realized something about the flask he'd been holding earlier. It was Nitrobolt's. 

**_“That's right viewers. Nex, son of council member Ineritio, is missing. What do you think happened to him, Snips?”_ **

“Get your slagging hands off me you glitch spawns—Watch the finish you fraggers! Don't ruin it more than it already is—Hey, Bumblebee, you miss me?” The red youth sneered.

“I was just thinking about you, Sideswipe,” Bumblebee furrowed his brows and looked at the officers who had him. “What did he do now?”

“He was being a public nuisance and instigated a fight,” They answered, one ushering him into a cell.

“Explains the scratches,” He muttered and sighed after they left. “Sideswipe, you're 981 years old—”

“982 today.”

“—shouldn't you be trying to get your life straight? I think—”

“That I'd make a good cop 'cause I got the spark for it and I should enroll in the academy….Yeah,” He let out a haughty laugh laid on the slab of his cell. “I heard it aaaaaaall before from you, dude….Got any energon? I'm a little hungry.”

“I'll see if I could get you some later. And, even though you don't deserve it, I'll sneak you some energon goodies since it's your sparkday.”

“Thanks….I like cobalt miretillio, by the way,” He yawned, falling into recharge a few seconds later.

“Sweet dreams, Sideswipe,” He said quietly. He left to go on patrol when he bumped into someone. “Oh, hey, Jazz. What's up?”

“Nothing much. Listen, you seen the news?” Jazz immediately asked.

“Nah, I've been stuck here completing reports. Why? What happened?” He asked back in concern.

“Have I got a shocker for you. That coucilmech's son, Nex, he went missing,” He answered. “He just disappeared—” He snapped his digits for emphasis. “—like that! No note, no nothing, just gone!”

 **“** **_I don't know and neither do authorities. To be honest, I don't have high hopes on him being alive. Remember 12 years ago when Knock Out, the former 'Con turned Bot, disappeared? It was just like this._ ** **”**

“I think he just left the planet,” guessed the dark pink femme. “I mean he always was talking about how much he hated Cybertron and a lot his belonging were missing from his apartment and it's pretty messy—”

“Nightra, he didn't hate the planet, he hated the Council,” corrected the younger green mech next to her. “If you ask me, I think he got whacked! All that scrap he talked about the Council finally caught up with and they shut him up forever,” He snickered. “Bet he's sleeping with the fishes at the bottom of the Mercury Sea….What do you think, Regs?”

The blue and white femme he asked looked up from her datapad with an annoyed glare. “One, stop making cracks about it, Riot. He's a great mech and doesn't need you making jokes while he's probably out there, hurt or dead—”

“You're just saying that because you have a crush on him. I saw the picture in your locker. He's pretty hot, isn't h—”

“I don't like him like that and it's a poster he made for the academy! Anyway, I sense foul play. For one, he wouldn't just leave, I mean, he was coming to give us a lesson in physical combat tomorrow. He's not much older than the new generation but he often said in interviews that he sees all of us as the revolutionaries of tomorrow and feels it's his responsibility to be our teacher,” She remarked and held up her datapad to show them pictures of the apartment. “And the whole scene looks staged. Who takes a bunch of armor wax and polish and leaves behind their buffer, for example. And everything that's on the floor appears to be carefully placed to look like it was knocked over."

Nightra and Riot grinned. “Well look at you, little miss detective—”

“Listen up, cadets!” The teacher called from the head of the room. “Class is now in session.”

**_“According to Ineritio, he is sincerely worried for his son. ‘We were never close,’ He says, ‘but I realized now how much he really means to me and I would love for to be found’”_ **

That was a load of scrap! Steeljaw knew how Ineritio was, he didn't care for Nitrobolt. If anything he would do everything to get rid of him.

Ineritio probably did have a hand in the disappearance. Knowing him, he probably killed him or….Stasis. Nitrobolt told him once how Ineritio threatened to throw him in a pod and ship him away.

Only one way to find out.

Go to the Council himself.

And why not stir up a little chaos on the way there?

A little rebellion with a hint of subsonics sounded just perfect, and hey, it's what Nitrobolt would've wanted.


	4. The Three: The Beginning

“Orion?”

The young archivist looked up from his datapad and saw a small purple youngling with bluish purple optics.

“Hello, Nightshade,” He smiled down at her.

“Hi,” She smiled back. “What are you reading?”

“It's a tragedy about two brothers, and the war that tore them apart and made them bitter enemies,” He answered. “Want to hear it?”

She nodded eagerly and he placed her on his lap and began read it to her.

Orion was quite fond of the little femme. She was very bright for someone her age and always eager to learn, and he took every chance to teach her when he wasn't busy, like now.

“.... _Caligion stood above his dying brother, his jagged blade driven deep into his chest. He won, he finally won. After all the turmoil, after all his struggles, he had finally risen as the victor,_ ” Orion read. “ _He sneered and laughed as he watched the light begin to fade from his optics._ ** _I've won,_** _he repeated in his mind gleefully._ ** _I've won._** _Suddenly Agilis pulled him down!_ _Caligion expected an attack, but instead, Agilis embraced him._ ”

“ _‘Brother, oh, my dear brother. In this last moment we share, with my final my breath, I must confess; I have never hated you,’ He admitted in shuddering breaths as his vents hitched. ‘I couldn't, I wouldn't. I loved you, Caligion, I love you.’”_ Night read aloud, much to Orion's surprise.

“When did you learn how to read?” He asked, beaming with pride.

“Sire and Carrier have been teaching me!” She giggled. “Did I do good?”

“Yes, very good! In fact—Hold on, where are your creators?” He questioned, finally realizing she had come to him alone.

“In the medical district with Ratchet. They're testing a new medicine.”

“And what of your brother?”

“He left me here!” She exclaimed angrily.

“Again?” Orion frowned. “Where is he?,

“He's going to Kaon to “ _test his mettle_ ”.”

“Luckily for you, I was already planning on going to Kaon. I'm meeting someone there. We can both get him back together,” He set down his datapad, taking her in his arms and walking into a nearby elevator that lowered them down to the ground floor. After Orion signed out, they left the Hall of Records to catch the next unirail to Kaon.

 

They reached Kaon an hour later. They left the station and kept an optic out for her wayward brother as they made their way to the gladiatorial pits.

Upon being seen by the gladiators, they were met with hostility.

Every bot they passed immediately stopped whatever they were doing to stare at them with a cold, harsh gaze, muttering under their breaths.

Orion looked around. Her brother was nowhere in sight and neither was who he was meeting.

“Excuse me,” Orion announced. “I am Orion Pax from Iacon. I am looking for—”

“Oh,” One of the gladiators said with a scowl. “A pretty boy from Iacon. Come to taunt us?”

“No, I merely want to—”

“Well, either way, you aren't welcome here,” Another, a large bot that looked two times taller then him, approached him. They sneered. “So get outta here….before we make you.”

“Orion,” Nightshade whimpered, holding onto him tighter. “I'm scared.”

“It's alright, Nightshade. I'm here to protect you,” He assured her quietly, patting her gently on the back while he glared at them. “Don't be frightened.”

“Okay….”

He frowned, glaring up at the heckler. “I am not seeking to cause any discourse. I am just looking for—”

“Casian,” A new voice broke in, “leave him be!”

The bot, Casian, instantly back away from Orion as a large silver mech approached him.

“Megatronus,” Orion said and the mech bowed his head to say yes.

“You must be Orion Pax. And who is this young one,” Megatronus gestured to Nightshade, who shrunk back in fear. “I wasn't aware you were bringing anyone other than yourself.”

“This is my little friend Nightshade,” Orion coaxed her into looking up at the other mech. “Nightshade, this is Megatronus.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Nightshade,” The gladiator held out his hand to her. “Don't worry, I'm not going hurt you.”

She made a little noise of distress and quickly shook his hand before burying her face back into Orion's chest.

“I brought her along because her brother apparently came here before us. Tell me, have you seen young mech about this tall. He may have tried challenging someone to a spar.”

Megatronus looked back as a shouts could be heard from nearby and sighed, “I believe I have. Right this way.”

They followed him to what appeared to be a training area as there were weapons and training dummies strewn about. Everyone there consisted of younglings and teensparks, and they were all crowded in the middle, cheering and chanting as grunts were heard from within their circle.

“Say it. Say it now!”

“I would never surrender to a—OWAH!”

Night shot up at the sound of the second voice. “Jigsaw?”

“Say it!”

“Never—AH! Okay! Okay! I yield.”

“....What? _I couldn't hear you_.”

“What!? You know very well that you did! Your kind are known for their—OW! I YIELD, OH, I YIELD! Wait! Nonononono—AAAH!”

At once Orion, Megatronus, and Night saw a young teal and white mech fly out the circle and crash into a rack of weapons.

It was silent for a moment before cheers erupted from the small crowd of gladiators to be as they threw up the victor of the fight, a young pitch black wolficon.

Orion quickly went over to Jigsaw, putting Night down to help him up.

“Thank you….” Jigsaw froze, realizing it was Orion, and he laughed nervously. “Orion Pax, I see you're here….and you've brought my sister as well. How are you, Little Shade? I'm sorry for leaving you behind.”

“Hmph,” Night turned her back to him.

“Don't be like that,” He frowned. “C'mon!”

“It serves you right, Jigsaw,” Orion scowled, voice laced with disapproval. “And I'll be telling both your creators about this.”

“No! I'll be confined to our home. I'll have to sit through all the lessons on medicine, actually _learning_ that slag,” He wailed. “You can't be _that_ cruel, Orion.”

“That's the point, you'll learn your lesson.”

“But—”

“That's final.”

“Aw, come on—”

“Jigsaw of Iacon, you will go home!”

“You can't tell me what to do, archivist—”

“You'll do well to listen to your elders, Jigsaw,” Megatronus cut in.

“Megatronus….The Harbinger of Death,” He breathed in awe, a grin growing on his face. “You're my hero and you're right here….”

“You fought well against Lambda,” He commented. “Usually, opponents last no more than 35 seconds, I heard you lasted 10 more.”

“Where is he, anyway? I wanna see if I could beat my record—”

Orion cleared his vocalizer.

“Fine….Nightshade, come along!” When she didn't come, he groaned. “Nightshade.”

They looked around, but they didn't see her.

  * •●•●•●



“Your hands are so small,” Lambda, the wolficon, giggled along with her as they pressed their hands against each other.

“Your hands….claws….are too big, then,” She quipped.

During Orion and Jigsaw's little argument, she wandered off with Lambda.

He had waved at her when he caught her staring at him. She smiled and he smiled back. The rest is easy to guess.

Now they were in the gladiator barracks and had gotten to talking about their interest along with making observations on each others varying anatomy.

“What's you're tail for, other than just being….a tail?” She asked.

“It's just a tail. But I can use it as a weapon. Sweep bots of their feet and wack 'em!”

“Oh. Can I see your dentae?”

He complied and opened his mouth, crouching slightly since he was a little taller than her.

“Sharp,” Her optics went wide at the sight of his fangs. “But how sharp?”

“Denami thinks they're sharp enough to puncture a fuel line.”

“Who's that?”

He pointed to a large white mech who sat in the corner, sharpening a set of knives. He looked up at them for a moment before he picked up another blade and began sharpening it.

“He's my guardian and my teacher.”

“Is he a gladiator, too?”

“No, he's like a doctor. He tends to the wounded combatants,” He answered.

“My creators are doctors, too!” She exclaimed happily. “I'm going to become one one day. The one you beat up, my brother, his training already started a while ago. He hates it.”

“He is your brother?” He gasped in disbelief.

“Yes.”

“B-But you two are so….different.”

“What's wrong with that?”

“I don't like him. He's mean spirited and arrogant.”

“Not a lot of people do—”

“But I like you, you're nice,” He smiled softly.

“Thanks and I like you, too,” She smiled back. “Lambda?”

“Yes?”

“Will you be my friend?”

“Aren't we already?”

“I guess so,” She shrugged. “What about best friend?”

“I'd like that,” He grinned.

“Nightshade!” Jigsaw shouted from behind them.

“Uh-oh,” She turned to face him with a frown. “Hi, Jig.”

“Don't wander off like that again! You scared me,” He scolded her. “We're going home, come on.”

She looked back at her new friend with sad optics. “Bye, Lambda.”

“Bye, Nightshade,” He replied sadly, “I hope I see you again.”

“Me, too,” She let her brother pick her up and carry her away.

Lambda groaned, sitting down next to his guardian and sharpening the knives with him to take his mind off her.

“Looks like her carrier,” Denami murmured suddenly. “She's got Hacksaw's optics, though.”

“What? How do you know?”

“I hail from Iacon. I studied with her creators to become a doctor, a long time before I came here,” He explained.

“I did not know this,” Lambda frowned.

“There's a lot you don't know about me, young pup.”

“Why'd you leave? Iacon is so much nicer!” He exclaimed in disbelief. “This place is a slag heap!”

“Many reasons that you'll one day learn, Lambda,” He sighed. He looked….angry. Before Lambda could ask what was the matter, he was pet between the ears and he let out what sounded almost like a purr in response as Denami chuckled, “I think I could help you see your friend whenever you wanted. And don't worry, no one will try to hurt you. I'll be there to protect you.”

  * •●•●•●



“I can't believe you were consorting with my enemy, Shade!” Jigsaw groaned at his sister, who sat across from him as they ride the unirail back home. “Betrayed by own sister….”

“You're almost an adult and he's just a kid, not even older than me by a lot!” She scowled. “You're being a bully.”

“....I got beat up by a kid? _I tried to beat up a kid?_ ”

She nodded.

“I thought he was like, you know, a minicon….” He trailed off, embarrassed and ashamed.

He kept his mouth shut the rest of the way back home.

When they did finally get there, Jigsaw sighed.

“Look, Shade, I'm sorry about today,” He took her by the hand and led her out the doors to the station. “I'll make it up to you.”

“Sure you will,” Nightshade murmured.

“I mean it—” He jolted in fear and surprise when someone shouted his name. “Aw, frag….Orion commed them already….”

He was confronted by a red and white mech with the same colored optics as Nightshade.

“Sire, what are you doing here? Where's Carrier?” He asked, though, to be honest, he was thankful he'd only deal with the wrath of one creator, and the merciful one at that. However, judging by the look on Hacksaw's face, the latter won't help much with his situation.

“She's still busy and I'm here to take you both home and make sure you specifically won't wander off,” He answered with a small scowl. “When we get there, you and I are going to have a serious talk.”

“Super….Bye!” He bolted in the opposite direction and transformed, flying off into the air before his sire could catch him.

“Ugh! I'm putting a tracker in that kid, I swear, I'm going to do it,” He muttered. “Told myself I wouldn't be that creator but he leaves us no choice….He just had to inherit Veneer's wings.”

“Sire, don't worry, he's going to turn up at the police station by tomorrow like he always does,” Nightshade pointed out.

“Oh….I guess you're right about that,” He laughed as he took her up into his arms and began to walk home. “He never fails to get himself into more trouble. I pray you won't act like that when you reach his age. Now, how was your day? Carrier and I heard from Pax you made a friend.”

“Mhm, his name is Lambda! He's really good at fighting—”

“I know, Pax told us what he did to your brother.”

“—and he's so smart and nice. He's a wolficon, too.”

“Oh, is he now? We had a friend who was one, a long time ago, before you were created,” He said thoughtfully. “They very intelligent and highly skilled in surgery, I dare say they were the one of the best I've known.”

“Where are they?”

“In the Allspark. Bad people, who didn't like them for who they were sent them there,” He vented deeply and shook his helm at the thought.

●•●•●•●

“I must say, it's nice to actually speak in person for once,” Orion commented as he and Megatronus walked to the station, “and, again, I am sorry for the trouble caused earlier by Jigsaw.”

“He is young and he will learn one day to be humble and mind his elders,” Megatronus said. “I'll be seeing you next time?”

“Of course. Hopefully under better circumstances,” Orion nodded, boarding  the unirail back to Iacon. “Goodbye, Megatronus.”

“Goodbye, Orion Pax. Safe travels.”

 

Time passed, years in fact.

Between Megatronus and Orion Pax, something grew. The former became a teacher and the latter his student. But there also lay a strong bond, likened to that shared by brothers.

That wasn't the only thing that grew.

“Lambda, what is that?” Nightshade asked her friend as he tried to him something behind his back.

Lambda and Nightshade had grown very close, becoming nearly inseparable. They told each other everything and did almost everything together. Lambda became the brother she always wanted, and for him, she became the sister he never had.

“Tada!” He presented her with a long box  and gave it to her. “I got you a present, Nightey!”

“Oh, Lambda, thank you,” She grinned and shook it to try to get an idea of what was inside. “What is it?”

“Something I saw you have great interest in the last time you came to see me in Kaon,” He hinted. “One of the blacksmiths owed Denami a favor and he had them make these for me to give to you….Have you guessed yet?”

“Yes….but let me open this already to be sure,” She said, a smile playing on her lips as she began to lift the lid off.

Then they were interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door before someone came in.

“Hi, Orion,” They both greeted him warmly.

“Hello, Lambda, Nightshade,” He greeted back just as warmly. However, they immediately noticed something seemed off about him. “Lambda, can you leave me and Nightshade to talk. It's important.”

The young wolficon complied and left the room.

He was caught by surprise upon seeing Ratchet and Denami standing in the lounge.

“Ratchet, Denami,” He bowed his helm slightly. “What brings you here?”

“....You're going to have to be there for little Nightshade now more than ever, Lambda,” Denami replied vaguely, not exactly giving him an answer to his question.

“I don't understand.”

“Lambda, the medical center was bombed today,” Ratchet clarified. “Hacksaw and Veneer went with it.”

Lambda gasped, and right then, his audio receptors picked up a soft, quiet sob from Nightshade. He ran back the way he came, almost bursting back into her room.

He saw Orion was sitting on the berth with her, arms around her in a protective embrace, softly murmuring words of comfort.

Lambda sat down next to her and hugged her as well. Ratchet followed soon after, along with Denami, and they all huddled together in mourning.

  * •●•●•●



_‘Jigsaw,’ The winged femme spoke in a scolding voice, the one you would use on a child._

_A child. They still treated him like a child._

_‘What?’ He spat out with a snarl. ‘What did I do now, Carrier!?’_

_‘You nearly cost that mech his life!’_

_‘I was able to save him, wasn't I?’_

_‘That isn't the point!’ His sire cut in. ‘You can't be_ — _’_

_‘I can't be taking risks. Yeah, risks that save people! Honestly, you two, why are you so upset? He didn't die,’ He groaned, optics rolling in annoyance._

_‘He almost did, Jigsaw!’ Veneer shouted. ‘You can't just do things because you feel like it in the middle of surgery!’_

_‘You treat this all like it's a game! It isn't,’ Hacksaw frowned. ‘Lives are at stake_ —’

_‘I am not afraid, like you!’ Jigsaw snapped. ‘Who cares if someone, or even a few, die for the sake of progress!’_

_Hacksaw and Veneer gaped in horror as the last words slipped out his vocalizer._

_‘Have we taught you nothing?’ Veneer gasped. ‘All lives matter, no matter the person.’_

_‘Words of the weak. You both are weak,’ Jigsaw scoffed. ‘That is why I despise you.’_

_He pushed pass them, ignoring the deep hurt in their optics._

* * *

Thinking back on earlier, maybe he had been a little too harsh and, yeah, maybe they were right about him.

But he just wanted to be the best. He wanted them to be proud of him.

They had to know that he didn't despise them. He adored them, he loved them, even if he was bad at showing it.

He had to go apologize.

But, maybe after one more drink.

“'Ey, bartender, give me ‘nother one! Bette’ yeeet….all drinks on me again!”

Cheers erupted throughout the bar as the bartender took his shanix but refused to give him another drink.

“Why not?”

“You've clearly had enough. You can't even look me in the optics and tell me I'm wrong,” They pointed out.

“Bah!” He waved them off when they had come over to help him off his stool. He staggered out the door.

He would have fallen flat on his face if it weren't for a last minute save from someone.

“I knew I might find you here, Jigsaw,” Megatronus kept the younger mech steady as he led him through the hussle and bussle of the night. “Come, your sister's waiting for you.”

“Why? What ‘appened? Did I forget to pick ‘er up from school again? Carrier's going to kill me. But maybe I deserve it,” He laughed. Megatronus instantly tensed at his little quip and this didn't go unnoticed. “What's wrong?”

“….I assume you haven't heard about the bombing,” He concluded.

“‘Nother one? This is getting outta ‘and,” He frowned. “It's disgusting that they do it in your name….Why?”

Megatronus stopped and held him at arm's length, sighing, “Your creators are dead, Jigsaw.”

“....You' kidding right?” He asked with a nervous laugh. “They're okay, I just saw them this afternoon.”

The other shook his helm and echoed sadly, “They're dead.”

“No, they' not. I need to say I'm sorry,” He argued in denial.

He tried to feel for them through the bond shared by creator and offspring. It was cold. It was….dead.

Then he remembered.

An hour before, maybe a quarter more, he had felt a pain from within his spark. It was quick and didn't last longer than a minute, so he immediately brushed it off as nothing.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

He blacked out.

Everything after was just a cavalcade of broken bits of memory.

He had ran from Megatronus, somehow found out who had set the bombs, and went to them.

Then there was screaming mixed with the sound of his buzzsaw cutting through the armor to the protoform with ease.

Now he stood in front of his little sister as she trembled in fear at the sight of him.

From helm to heelstrut he was covered in their energon and he hadn't even put his saw away.

“Nightshade….don't be afraid,” He stepped towards her and she stumbled backward onto her berth and kept moving back until she hit the wall. “Nightshade, it's me. Your big brother.”

She vigorously shook her helm and squeaked when he cupped the side of her face tenderly, staining her with the still fresh energon on his hands. He gently coaxed her to look at him and he smiled. “It's me, my Little Shade.”

“Jig….?” She realized, finally, and he nodded. “What….d-did you do? Why do you look like this? Did you get hurt?”

“No, Shade, I made them pay. I made them pay for taking Sire and Carrier away,” He laughed a little. “I avenged their deaths. Oh, you should've seen how they begged for mercy. Like I would've given them the privilege after what they did.”

This wasn't her brother.

This was someone else entirely.

Her brother didn't kill, not intentionally.

Her brother didn't look like a monster.

He was a jerk, sure, but not a monster.

Nightshade screamed.

  * •●•●•●



All the others, who were resting in the next room, were dragged out of their slumber and they burst into Nightshade's room.

They saw a crazed mech standing a bit to the side while she was curled up in a ball in the corner, eyeing the mech fearfully.

“Jigsaw?” Ratchet recognized him as he and Denami pinned him against the wall while Orion and Lambda went to console Nightshade. “What happened!?” He asked, in concern about his deranged state. “Well?”

“Why is she scared of me? She should be happy! I killed them, I made them pay for taking out creators away,” Jigsaw spoke with a low growl. “She should be happy! Why is she scared? I am her brother, she's never been scared of me!”

“You….” Ratchet's face contorted into a look of disgust mixed with horror. “Jigsaw….you….Maybe it's best if you stay away from Nightshade for right now.”

“No. I will talk to my sister right now and you will leave us. Now,” His saw began to buzz to life as he, with all his strength, pushed the Denami back, sending him crashing in the wall, while he cut deep into Ratchet's arm.

The older mech cried out in agony and released him, cradling his practically amputated appendage.

Jigsaw made short work of Orion, bastard couldn't even fight to save his life and a good hard kick to his midsection had him on his knees in seconds.

The only one in his way was Lambda. He stood in front of Nightshade, growling  as he bared his dentea at him.

He was about to get him out of the way, too, when he finally got a good look at Nightshade.

She was afraid. He could see the fear in her optics as they welled up with tears.

“....Sweet Solus Prime….what have I done?” He looked around at the aftermath of his actions, retracting his saw. “Ratchet, Orion, Denami, Nightshade, I'm so sorry,” He tried to reach for his sister, but she reeled back with a cry and clung to Lambda for dear life. “I didn't mean—I mean, I did mean what I did earlier, but not this. I just….No.”

He went for the window, not caring to open it as he crashed through, plummeting towards the street below.

The others in the room would have feared him dead if they hadn't heard the sounds of his jets a few seconds later.

“Ratchet,” Orion groaned, pushing himself up to stand, “are you okay?”

“No, I'm not okay. I need to go to a hospital,” He winced as Denami helped him up.

“I'll take you to one that's still standing, don't worry,” Denami assured him as he lead him out the door.

“Wait! Nightshade,” Ratchet stopped by the door and looked back at her, “are you okay? I could stay if you like. Someone could just come and—”

“No. Just go, I'll be fine,” She said, forcing herself to smile, “I have Lambda and Orion with me.”

“Okay….” He reluctantly left a moment later.

Nightshade felt her face, pulling back to see that the energon was still on her face as it stained her fingertips. She flinched. “He killed them. He _killed_ them,” She repeated quietly.

Orion quickly led her out the room, closely followed by Lambda, into the washroom.

With a damp cloth and a little bit of soap he cleaned her face as she stared blankly into a mirror.

“All better?” He asked when the last of it was gone. She nodded and he led her to another room in the apartment, and they all sat on the berth. “I'm so sorry you had to see that, Nightshade,” He sighed. “Your brother….I'm sorry that he scared you, I'm sorry for what he did. I'm sorry that all this is happening. I can't tell you anything else but to be strong. I know things seem bad now, but they'll get better.”

“....You promise?” She asked warily.

“I promise,” He smiled reassuringly.

“Okay,” She sighed. “Can I go back to sleep?”

“Of course. Do want me to tell you a story?”

She shook her helm as she laid down.

“Alright. Sweet dreams, Nightshade,” He planted a kiss on her forehelm. “Come, Lambda, let's let her rest.”

Lambda nodded and followed him, but before he was able to leave the room himself, Nightshade called his name.

“What is it, Nightey?”

“….Can you sleep with me? Please.”

“....Are you sure? I might knock you off by accident, I move a lot in my recharge—”

“Please,” She begged. “Lambda, I don't want to sleep alone.”

Lambda sighed after a moment of debate, “Okay. Make some room,” He laid down next to her and, to his surprise, she pulled him close. “N-Nightey?”

“Lambda, promise that you won't leave me alone,” She whispered in his audial. “Promise that you'll always be there, even when you're far away. I don't want to lose you, too. You're my best friend.”

“Nightey, I promise I'll try—No, I promise that I will! It's you and me forever,” He swore. “No matter what happens, I promise….Do you promise the same?”

“Yes, I promise that it's you and I to the very end!”

“And back again?”

“And back again. Forever.”

“Forever.”

  * •●•●•●



Jigsaw silently wept.

He was taught better. Getting revenge didn't solve anything. It only made things worse.

It didn't bring his creators back.

And his precious, beautiful little sister. He would never be able to look her in the face again, much less be near her. She feared him now.

All in the span of a day, he lost everyone he held dear.

“Jigsaw.”

He froze and lifted his helm to see who it was.

“Megatronus!” He reeled back, scurrying backwards into a wall. Dead end. “Who sent you after me!?”

“I came for you on my own accord. Now get up,” Megatronus pulled him up to stand. “Why do you cry? You avenged your creator's deaths.”

“Yes, but….How do you know what I did?”

“It is evident that you have gotten into more than a little scuffle, and, you already know, that I have optics everywhere here,” He answered. “You should be proud of yourself for what you've done.”

“My sister doesn't see it that way,” He sighed, sadly. “She looks at me as though I am a monster. Perhaps she is right, maybe I am….”

“She is still a child, it is in her nature to fear what she doesn't understand,” He frowned. “I, for one, beg to differ from her view.”

Jigsaw offered a confused expression in a silent question as to what he meant.

“You honored Veneer and Hacksaw's memory, and all the others who joined the Allspark today, you avenged them all by killing the ones responsible for their deaths,” He explained. “Jigsaw, today, you are no longer a child. Today, you've grown up, because you weren't afraid to do what had to be done. You proved you were strong enough. And most of all,” He placed a hand on the younger's shoulder and smiled, “you've earned my respect as a warrior.”

“Really?” Jigsaw beamed, all his previous weariness fading away. Megatronus understood it all, and to have his respect was the highest honor that he could ever have.

“Orion?” Megatronus said suddenly, turning away from him, sparing him a quick glance. “No, no I haven't seen Jigsaw….I promise that if I do you'd be the first to know….Yes, I'll be seeing you tomorrow for the meeting with the Council. Let's hope for the best tomorrow.”


End file.
